Aces: Details of the Mustang Paint Schemes

In addition to details of the model itself, aircraft modelers also care about its paint schemes. Different paint schemes represent different histories and stories. Owing to paint scheme, cold machineries become lively. The LS-006 North American P-51D Mustang Fighter kit includes the paint schemes of two Aces’ fighters.

This first paint scheme is for the aircraft of the top Ace of the 15th Air Force of United States Army Air Forces, John James Voll (1922-1987). This 44-15459 P-51D was called American Beauty by Voll. In 1944, Voll was dispatched to the the 15th Air Force of United States Army Air Force in the Mediterranean theatre. His first record was shooting down a Luftwaffe Fw 190 Fighter on June 23rd. After ten days, he got his 5th record and became an Ace. Voll’s record continued to increase afterwards. Less than half a year, he became the top Ace of air combats in the 15th Air Force. He was also the top U.S. Ace in the Mediterranean
theatre. For the tradition of protecting pilots, Voll, like other Aces from the Allied forces, was banned to fly at once. Later, he was transferred to China and took office in the China-US joint Air Force Command. Voll, as a commander, participated in the Vietnam War in the 1970s and had excellent performance in Operation Rolling Thunder. Eventually, he was retired as a Colonel.

The second paint scheme is for an Ace of the 9th Air Force of United States Army Air Forces, Richard Turner (1920-1986). The 44-15522 P-51D was named Short Fuse Sallee. After Turner and Sallee broke up, he removed his girlfriend’s name from the fighter and changed it to be Short Fuse. Turner was a Mustang pilot with rich experience in flying the P-51D and even the earlier P-51B. After the war, Richard Turner wrote a book named Mustang Pilot in memory of his time during World War II.